Well my family and I discovered one of the best kept secrets ever. And, it happens to be literally (almost) located in our backyard. And we're not quite sure why our neighbor's to the north kept such a good secret. But, I suspect it's because they are not as focused on marketing this treasure since it's not their main gem.
This past summer we drove less than two hours north of where we live to the Mashantucket Pequot Museum. We have been talking about going there for the past couple of years but they have seasonal hours; and we always thought of visiting when it was closed for the season.
Some background information.
I have Cherokee Indian in my family history; so, we are keenly interested in Native Americans and their historical contributions to our way of life. We had visited the National Museum of the Native Indian which is part of the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC a couple of summers ago. And, quite frankly we were disappointed.
When we arrived the parking lot at the Mashantucket Pequot Museum it was virtually empty. Which in our minds wasn't a good sign. The cost of admissions is $20 per person; so, we weren't sure if it would be worth the investment of money and time but we had already driven the distance and decided to fulfill our plan for a fun day trip.
Like the parking lot, once inside there were very few guests. The big difference -- this museum didn't disappoint!
This is an amazing museum filled with rich history, images and replications of how life was for the Mashantucket tribe located in Connecticut.
It was a wonderful experience worth the drive, the time and the admissions cost! We all left enriched, elevated and inspired.
Both the museum and Foxwoods Casino are located on the same reservation located down the street from each other. They both are owned and operated by the same tribe.
Clearly, there are products that we "bet" on (no pun intended) and spend more time and dollars marketing because the payoff is huge. But, in marketing our products and services we should always challenge ourselves.
While it's important to put your marketing dollars and programs into the product that is generating the majority of your revenue; don't forget to consistently ask yourself fundamental questions like: Are you leaving a product on the table that will increase customer loyalty and enable customers to get to know you better? Can you bundle the products together to reinforce your messaging and add value to your customer's experience? Are there any cross marketing opportunities that can add to the power of the brand story?
Think about your brand secrets and if you're enjoying them. Most likely your customers will too. And, we all love to get in on a good secret now and again - ours was the Mashantucket Pequot Museum.
Shhh - but don't tell anyone that I told you about it! It's our secret.